Recently, a new family of aminoglycoside antibiotics, the fortimicins, have been identified. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,976,768 and 3,931,400 which disclose the parent antibiotics, fortimicin A and fortimicin B. Historically, once an aminoglycoside antibiotic has been in clinical use for awhile, resistant microorganisms arise. In many cases, the resistance is R-factor mediated and is attributed to the ability of the bacteria to enzymatically modify the amino or hydroxyl groups of the aminoglycoside antibiotic. It is known that in the naturally occuring fortimicin aminoglycoside antibiotics blocking the 2-hydroxy group inactivates the antibiotics. Copending applications Ser. Nos. 863,006 and 863,009 describe 2-deoxy-fortimicin A and 2-deoxyfortimicin B, respectively.